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WGLT's reporting on the coronavirus pandemic, which began in McLean County in March 2020.

MCHD Reports 3 More COVID Deaths; Pause On J&J Vaccine

Emily Bollinger
/
WGLT
McLean County will pause administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, following guidance from the CDC and FDA.

Three more McLean County residents have died from COVID-19 complications.

All three were men -- one in his 60s and one his 70s who did not live in long-term care facilities, and another his 90s who did. There have now been 213 COVID-related deaths in McLean County since the start of the pandemic.

The McLean County Health Department(MCHD) is reporting 53 new confirmed or probable coronavirus cases Tuesday, as the county’s testing positivity rate rose to 5.7%.

There are 44 McLean County residents hospitalized with COVID. Hospital bed capacity remained at 4%. There are more patients in intensive care. That rate is back up to 88%.

The active caseload is down overnight. That figure is now 589, with 545 county residents isolating at home. An additional 68 people are now considered recovered.

MCHD has paused administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine until further notice. That follows a joint statement from the CDC and FDA urging a halt on the single-dose shots out of an "abundance of caution" while health officials review reports of rare, potentially dangerous blood clots.

A vaccine clinic scheduled for Illinois Wesleyan University students on Tuesday has been postponed. MCHD and IWU have notified those who were scheduled to receive a shot. Those appointments will be rescheduled.

All other MCHD clinics will continue as planned. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was not slated for distribution at any of the clinics at the Grossinger Motors Arena this week.

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Dana Vollmer is a reporter with WGLT. Dana previously covered the state Capitol for NPR Illinois and Peoria for WCBU.